1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to gaming devices. More particularly, the invention is a countdown game suitable for use with a gaming device having a primary game.
2. The Prior Art
Secondary bonus games for use with gaming devices are known. For example, secondary games have been regularly implemented as a “top box” game in conjunction with slot-type wagering devices. One popular bonus game is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,932 to Adams entitled “METHOD OF PLAYING GAME AND GAMING GAMES WITH AN ADDITIONAL PAYOUT INDICATOR”. The Adams patent discloses a bonus payout indicator comprising a wheel, which indicates one of a plurality of randomly selected bonus payouts, the bonus payout wheel used in conjunction with a three-reel slot machine. The bonus payout wheel is actuated when the reels on the slot machine stop on certain predetermined indicia and pays the player according to the bonus payout indicator. Many similar games appear in the European gaming market.
Such bonus games provide the player with additional excitement and amusement above and beyond game results from the primary (e.g., three reel slot) game. However, many bonus games, including the bonus game disclosed in Adams, provide limited excitement and amusement in that play on the secondary game is limited to a single action or event, such as activating a bonus wheel or otherwise generating a random “bonus” result.
In contrast, investment bonus games provide the added excitement of allowing the user to “earn” the bonus award based on a plurality of events (as opposed to a single event) in the primary game. For example, the “Bonus Bell” game by Mills™ allows the users to collect the letters forming the word “BONUS” during play of the primary slot game. After the player collects the entire group of letters to form the word “BONUS”, the player is awarded a predetermined bonus amount.
Unfortunately, most prior art investment bonus games are linear or otherwise lack a diversity of outcome. That is, most investment bonus games are structured so that the bonus is awarded upon a fixed or predetermined event (e.g., collecting the words “BONUS”). The player generally plays enough credits so as to satisfy the requirement for the bonus award event. Such game play has limited excitement and amusement to a player.